Advanced Jazz Dancing

Terry now offers a comprehensive selection of ballroom lessons at the NEW onlineballroomlessons.com, and he is the owner and principal male dance instructor of Terry Deans Dance Studio, in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has been teaching ballroom dancing for more than 30 years and opened his own successful studio following a 19 year career with Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Terry has received accolades for his choreography and has been honored as Virginia State Top Studio and Top Teacher twice. He and his staff teach students of all levels, whether they are interested in social dancing, exhibition dancing, or competitive ballroom dance sport. He has led many of his students to win top level gold medal competitions, and he is pleased to share his expertise with you today.

Ballroom Dancing - Basic Foxtrot Left Turn

Professional dance instructor Terry Dean breaks down the foxtrot left turn.

Terry Dean: Hi, I am Terry Dean from Terry Deans Dance Studio. We are working on the Foxtrot.

The next step we are going to do is the Basic Left Turn, basic left turn is very important to be able to maneuver around the floor. It's very simple action, thats mainly made up of the walking steps and the side steps.

What happens is, first let me demonstrate it and then we will do it. What happens is the man will walk forward, then back up and turn a quarter of turn to the left. So, again, I am going to walk forward, turn back and turn a quarter turn left.

The lady is going to be doing the natural opposite of that, so she will be going backwards on her right foot, as I go forward on my left, then I go back on my right as she comes forward on her left and we both turn a quarter of a turn to the left. So, we are going to go forward, back, side, close, one more time, forward, back, side, close. Now, we are going to do this with a little bit of swing and sway, forward swing and sway at the end. Again, swing and then we sway. So, again the step is very simple but it gets you, so you are rotating around, then a quarter turn left, if you needed to do more than one in a row, you can continue to turn around the room. Thats the Basic Left Turn. Next, we are going to go the Promenade.